Killing Me Softly: Mars Triggers the Cancer Eclipse Point

"Dude, you so read this chapter to me already!"

Hey there, does anybody remember a little ol’ solar eclipse that darkened the skies on July 1? Well guess what? It’s baaaack. Well, in a manner of speaking. We’re not having another eclipse per se, but planet Mars has reached the degree of the zodiac (specifically 9 degrees of Cancer) where that last eclipse occurred. Mars has such active energy that he behaves as a trigger whenever he traces the same ground as an eclipse. It’s sure to be a dynamic day for those of you with any planets or points between six and twelve degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn).

If you experienced anything specific at the last eclipse, then you may be in for a ‘part two’ over the next couple of days – especially if your eclipse moment still awaits some kind of resolution. Mars will re-energize the situation, leaving it pretty much impossible for you to ignore. And this may be exactly what you require if you’re prone to burying things that would be best addressed out in the open.

The only thing to be aware of is that Mars correlates with aggressive energy. But in the tender sign of Cancer, the energy can get muddled with a sense of killing me softly. Bear in mind that your level of sensitivity is heightened now, making it all too easy to take things quite personally.  If a previous (or even new) situation escalates into a blazing fire, you may need to pull back from your own trigger responses and breathe before adding fuel to the fire.  With Mars re-activating the ongoing cardinal square there’s enough strong-arming going around without compounding the situation.

Apart from Mars’ firey temperament, there’s also a lot of heat coming from the Leo sector of the zodiac, thanks to the Sun, Mercury retrograde and Venus lined up there. The good news is that they’re a very sweet trio, and may help diffuse aggression with love. Mind you, you have to actively choose love over anger if you strive to connect with your higher self. And that may feel downright awkward, even though the Moon is gliding through peaceful Pisces. That’s because she’s making a difficult alignment of 150 degrees (called a quincunx) with the Leo planets. This suggests that, even if we feel out of step by striving for peace, compassion or forgiveness, it’s worth making some adjustments in order to make it so.

This re-play of eclipse energy is so synchronously timed with Mercury’s current retrograde phase. Mercury retrograde is associated with the strong possibility of re-matches, although from a different perspective. So Mercury is supporting the process of looking back, while Mars brings a new approach to the situation. Because Mars is a fireball of yang and fiesty energy, there are a couple of different ways you may experience today’s action: either like a bad re-play of events, with a cranky overtone; or you may feel energized and enthused – really gung-ho to make the most of any opportunity that came your way on July 1. Now you have the confidence or emotional fortitude to go for it.

In either case, we get some perspective on the eclipse issue, thanks to Mars sextile Jupiter in Taurus. This brings the opportunity to connect emotions with the body and to work out any angst through physical exertion. If you wish to work with the water and earth elements of these two signs, swimming or hiking can help get you out of your head and into your body. Funnily enough, the connection between Cancer and Taurus also brings a focus on comfort and leisure – and how to lovingly provide those things for yourself and others. If you’re itching to cook up a feast or to bake, or to craft homemade gifts, then this week (with a special emphasis on August 18) is yours to indulge all of your loving energy!